stories to tell to children-第13章

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Hans　had　seen。



〃Water！〃　said　the　child。　　〃Water！　　I　am

dying。〃



〃I　have　not　enough　for　myself；〃　said　Schwartz；

and　passed　on。



A　low　bank　of　black　cloud　rose　out　of　the

west。



When　he　had　climbed　for　another　hour；　the

thirst　overcame　him　again；　and　again　he　lifted

the　flask　to　his　lips。　　As　he　did　so；　he　saw　an

old　man　who　begged　for　water。



〃I　have　not　enough　for　myself；〃　said　Schwartz；

and　passed　on。



A　mist；　of　the　colour　of　blood；　came　over　the

sun。



Then　Schwartz　climbed　for　another　hour；　and

once　more　he　had　to　drink。　　This　time；　as　he

lifted　the　flask；　he　thought　he　saw　his　brother

Hans　before　him。　　The　figure　stretched　its　arms

to　him；　and　cried　out　for　water。



〃Ha；　ha；〃　laughed　Schwartz；　〃do　you　suppose

I　brought　the　water　up　here　for　you？〃　　And　he

strode　over　the　figure。　　But　when　he　had　gone

a　few　yards　farther；　he　looked　back；　and　the

figure　was　not　there。



Then　he　stood　at　the　brink　of　the　Golden

River；　and　its　waves　were　black；　and　the　roaring

of　the　waters　filled　all　the　air。　　He　cast　the

flask　into　the　stream。　　And　as　he　did　so　the

lightning　glared　in　his　eyes；　the　earth　gave　way

beneath　him；　and　the　river　flowed　over



The　two　Black　Stones。





When　Gluck　found　himself　alone；　he　at　last

decided　to　try　his　luck　with　the　King　of　the

Golden　River。　　The　priest　gave　him　some　holy

water　as　soon　as　he　asked　for　it；　and　with　this

and　a　basket　of　bread　he　started　off。



The　hill　of　ice　was　much　harder　for　Gluck

to　climb；　because　he　was　not　so　strong　as　his

brothers。　　He　lost　his　bread；　fell　often；　and　was

exhausted　when　he　got　on　firm　ground。　　He

began　to　climb　the　hill　in　the　hottest　part　of

the　day。　　When　he　had　climbed　for　an　hour

he　was　very　thirsty；　and　lifted　the　bottle　to

drink　a　little　water。　　As　he　did　so　he　saw　a

feeble　old　man　coming　down　the　path　toward

him。



〃I　am　faint　with　thirst；〃　said　the　old　man；

〃will　you　give　me　some　of　that　water？〃



Gluck　saw　that　he　was　pale　and　tired；　so　he

gave　him　the　water；　saying；　〃Please　don't　drink

it　all。〃　　But　the　old　man　drank　a　great　deal；　and

gave　back　the　bottle　two…thirds　emptied。　　Then

he　bade　Gluck　good　speed；　and　Gluck　went　on

merrily。



Some　grass　appeared　on　the　path；　and　the

grasshoppers　began　to　sing。



At　the　end　of　another　hour；　Gluck　felt　that　he

must　drink　again。　　But；　as　he　raised　the　flask；

he　saw　a　little　child　lying　by　the　roadside；　and

it　cried　out　pitifully　for　water。　　After　a　struggle

with　himself　Gluck　decided　to　bear　the　thirst　a

little　longer。　　He　put　the　bottle　to　the　child's

lips；　and　it　drank　all　but　a　few　drops。　　Then　it

got　up　and　ran　down　the　hill。



All　kinds　of　sweet　flowers　began　to　grow　on

the　rocks；　and　crimson　and　purple　butterflies

flitted　about　in　the　air。



At　the　end　of　another　hour；　Gluck's　thirst

was　almost　unbearable。　　He　saw　that　there

were　only　five　or　six　drops　of　water　in　the

bottle；　however；　and　he　did　not　dare　to　drink。

So　he　was　putting　the　flask　away　again　when　he

saw　a　little　dog　on　the　rocks；　gasping　for　breath。

He　looked　at　it；　and　then　at　the　Golden　River；

and　he　remembered　the　dwarf's　words；　〃No

one　can　succeed　except　at　the　first　trial〃；　and

he　tried　to　pass　the　dog。　　But　it　whined

piteously；　and　Gluck　stopped。　　He　could　not　bear

to　pass　it。　　〃Confound　the　King　and　his　gold；

too！〃　he　said；　and　he　poured　the　few　drops　of

water　into　the　dog's　mouth。



The　dog　sprang　up；　its　tail　disappeared；　its

nose　grew　red；　and　its　eyes　twinkled。　　The　next

minute　the　dog　was　gone；　and　the　King　of　the

Golden　River　stood　there。　　He　stooped　and

plucked　a　lily　that　grew　beside　Gluck's　feet。

Three　drops　of　dew　were　on　its　white　leaves。

These　the　dwarf　shook　into　the　flask　which　Gluck

held　in　his　hand。



〃Cast　these　into　the　river；〃　he　said；　〃and　go

down　the　other　side　of　the　mountains　into　the

Treasure　Valley。〃　　Then　he　disappeared。



Gluck　stood　on　the　brink　of　the　Golden　River；

and　cast　the　three　drops　of　dew　into　the　stream。

Where　they　fell；　a　little　whirlpool　opened；　but

the　water　did　not　turn　to　gold。　　Indeed；　the

water　seemed　vanishing　altogether。　　Gluck　was

disappointed　not　to　see　gold；　but　he　obeyed　the

King　of　the　Golden　River；　and　went　down　the

other　side　of　the　mountains。



When　he　came　out　into　the　Treasure　Valley；

a　river；　like　the　Golden　River；　was　springing

from　a　new　cleft　in　the　rocks　above；　and　flowing

among　the　heaps　of　dry　sand。　　And　then　fresh

grass　sprang　beside　the　river；　flowers　opened

along　its　sides；　and　vines　began　to　cover　the

whole　valley。　　The　Treasure　Valley　was　becoming

a　garden　again。



Gluck　lived　in　the　Valley；　and　his　grapes　were

blue；　and　his　apples　were　red；　and　his　corn　was

yellow；　and　the　poor　were　never　driven　from

his　door。　　For　him；　as　the　King　had　promised；

the　river　was　really　a　River　of　Gold。





It　will　probably　be　clear　to　anyone　who　has

followed　these　attempts；　that　the　first　step　in

adaptation　is　analysis；　careful　analysis　of　the

story　as　it　stands。　　One　asks　oneself；　What　is

the　story？　　Which　events　are　necessary　links　in

the　chain？　　How　much　of　the　text　is　pure

description？



Having　this　essential　body　of　the　story　in

mind；　one　then　decides　which　of　the　steps　toward

the　climax　are　needed　for　safe　arrival　there；　and

keeps　these。　　When　two　or　more　steps　can　be

covered　in　a　single　stride；　one　makes　the　stride。

When　a　necessary　explanation　is　unduly　long；　or

is　woven　into　the　story　in　too　many　strands；　one

disposes　of　it　in　an　introductory　statement；　or

perhaps　in　a　side　remark。　　If　there　are　two　or

more　threads　of　narrative；　one　chooses　among

them；　and　holds　strictly　to　the　one　chosen；

eliminating　details　which　concern　the　others。



In　order　to　hold　the　simplicity　of　plot　so

attained；　it　is　also　desirable　to　have　but　few

personages　in　the　story；　and　to　narrate　the　action

from　the　point　of　view　of　one　of　them；usually

the　hero。　　To　shift　the　point　of　view　of　the

action　is　confusing　to　the　child's　mind。



When　the　analysis　and　condensation　have

been　accomplished；　the　whole　must　be　cast　in

simple　language；　keeping　if　possible　the　same

kind　of　speech　as　that　used　in　the　original；　but

changing　difficult　or　technical　terms　to　plain；

and　complex　images　to　simple　and　familiar　ones。



All　types　of　adaptation　share　in　this　need　of

simple　language；stories　which　are　too　short；

as　well　as　those　which　are　too　long；　have　this

feature　in　their　changed　form。　　The　change　in　a

short　story　is　applied　oftenest　where　it　becomes

desirable　to　amplify　a　single　anecdote；　or

perhaps　a　fable；　which　is　told　in　very　condensed

form。　　Such　an　instance　is　the　following　anecdote

of　heroism；　which　in　the　original　is　quoted　in

one　of　F。　W。　Robertson's　lectures　on　Poetry。





A　detachment　of　troops　was　marching　along　a　valley；

the　cliffs　overhanging　which　were　crested　by　the　enemy。　　A

sergeant；　with　eleven　men；　chanced　to　become　separated　from

the　rest　by　taking　the　wrong　side　of　a　ravine；　which　they

expected　soon　to　terminate；　but　which　suddenly　deepened

into　an　impassable　chasm。　　The　officer　in　command　signalled

to　the　party　an　order　to　return。　　They　mistook　the　signal　for

a　command　to　charge；　the　brave　fellows　answered　with　a

cheer；　and　charged。　　At　the　summit　of　the　steep　mountain

was　a　triangular　platform；　defended　by　a　breastwork；　behind

which　were　seventy　of　the　foe。　　On　they　went；　charging　up

one　of　those　fearful　paths；　eleven　against　seventy。　　The

contest　could　not　long　be　doubtful　with　such　odds。　　One

after　another　they　fell；　six　upon　the　spot；　the　remainder

hurled　backwards；　but　not　until　they　had　slain　nearly　twice

their　own　number。



There　is　a　custom；　we　are　told；　amongst　the　hillsmen；　that

when　a　great　chieftain　of　their　own　falls　in　battle；　his　wrist　is

bound　with　a　thread　either　of　red　or　green；　the　red　denoting

the　highest